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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.72.24

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 72: Bharata stops Mantharā’s punishment. Śatrughna drags her across the floor, Bharata orders her release to avoid Rāma’s condemnation

In the sequence: Bharata tells him to release Mantharā, saying that Rāma would condemn the killing and refuse to speak to either brother → Śatrughna lets her go, and she takes refuge with Kaikeyī.

2.72.24

sā pādamūle kaikeyyā mantharā nipapāta ha
niḥśvasantī suduḥkhārtā kṛpaṇaṃ vilalāpa ca

Mantharā fell down at Kaikeyī's feet, sighing, sorely afflicted, and wailed piteously.

Words: sā — she; pādamūle — at the feet; kaikeyyā — of Kaikeyī; mantharā — Mantharā; nipapāta — fell down; ha — indeed; niḥśvasantī — sighing; suduḥkhārtā — sorely afflicted; kṛpaṇaṃ — piteously; vilalāpa ca — and wailed

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.